Loose-leaf binder.



PATENTED MAY 8, 1906.

A. OPALLA.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 12, 1905.

ARTHUR OPALLA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1906.

Application filed May 12,1905. Serial No. 260,070.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR OPALLA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinols, haveinvented certain new and useful Im rovements in a Loose-Leaf Binder, of

whlch the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of binders employedfor holding together in a compact and book-like form a number of looseleaves or sheets and it consists in certain peculiarities of theconstruction, novel arrangement, and operatlon of the various artsthereof, as will be hereinafter more ful y set forth and specificallyclaimed. f The principal object of the invention is to tracted, so as toreceive and retain a large or small number of leaves or sheets.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in thesubjoined description and explanation.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionpertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it,referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an innerface view in elevation of the binder, showing its parts in theirexpanded positions. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts of thebinder in their contracted or folded positions. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe binder. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4 4 ofFig. 1- looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 5 is apers ective view of one end of the back of the bin er, and Fig. 6 is asimilar view ofone of the auxiliary plates.

Like numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views of the drawings.

The reference-numeral 10 designates the back-plate or back of the binderand comprises three parallel portions or plates 11, 12, and 13, spacedapart, as is clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. Each of theendsof the plates 11, 12, and 13, comprising the body portion of saidplates and they are spaced apart, as shown in Fig. 5, toreceive rightangled extensions on the auxiliary plates, as will be presentlyexplained. One end of the back 10 is provided with an opening 4-1, inwhich is located one end of a screw-threaded shaft 15, which shaft is journaled in bearings 16, secured to the inner surfaces of theinwardly-turned ends of the back. That end of the shaft 15 which islocated in the o enin 41 of the back is squared or otherwise f drmed toengage a key 17, used for turning the shaft. As shown in Figs. 3, 4, and5 of the drawings, the shaft 15 is located in parallelism with the plate13 of the back and at a slight distance therefrom, and by reference toFigs. 1 and 2 the back, is bent inwardly at right angles to of thedrawings it will be observed that the shaft 1 5 is provided near its endon which the key 17 fits with right-handed screw-threads 18 and on itsother end with left-handed screw-threads 19, which threads are of thesame pitch. That portion of the shaft 15 inwardly adjacent to thethreaded portion 18 is provided with left-handed threads 20, while thatportion of said shaft inwardly adjacent to the threaded portion 19 isprovided with right-handed threads 21, which have the same pitch ordegree of inclination as the.

threads 20, but are of a greater pitch or inclination than the threads18 and 19 for the purpose hereinafter to be ex lained.

Mounted on each of tl ie threaded portions 18 and 19 is a nut 22, andmounted on each of the threaded portions 20 and 21 is a nut 23,

all of which nuts are preferably rectangular in shape. Movably locatedin the ways formed by the plates 11, 12, and 13 of the back and onopposite sides thereof are auxiliary plates 24, each of which comprisestwo parallel plates 25 and 26, spaced apart and having their endsinwardly bent to form right-angled v extensions 27 to fit in the ways ofthe rightangled extensions of the back. One of the extensions 27 0f eachof the plates 24 is provided with an open-ended slot 28 for the reception of that end of the rod 15 on which the key 17 is adjusted. Eachof the plates 24 is provided on its inner surface at its outer edge witha number of inwardly-projecting and downwardly-turned brackets 29, towhich are I pivotally secured at one of their ends a number of links 30,the other ends of'which are similarly connected to the nuts 22 on thescrew-threaded shaft. By reference to Fig.

6 it will beseen that the parallel plates 25 and i I 26, comprising eachof the auxiliary plates 24, are spaced apart, so as to form a way orchannel for the reception and operation of the cover-plates 31, whichare angular in crosssection, as shown in Fig. 4, and have each of theirends extended at right angles, as at 32, to the body portion of saidplates, so as to fit and operate in the ways of the right-angledextensions 27 of the auxiliary plates. One of the right-angled ends 32of each of the coverplates is provided with an open-ended slot 33 forthe reception of the screw-threaded shaft When the parts are contracted.The inwardly-extending or horizontal portion 34 of each of thecover-plates may have connected thereto in any suitable manner a cover(not shown) of any desired material and size. Each of said portions alsohas on its inner surface a series of brackets 35 and 36, which may beintegral therewith, and in the present instance I have shown them asbeing punched out of the horizontal portions 34, thus leaving openings37 a in said parts.

Pivotally connected at one of their ends to the brackes 35 on thecover-plates 31 are links 37, the other ends of which are similarlyconnected to the nuts 23 on the screw-threaded shaft. Pivotallyconnected at one of its ends to each of the brackets 36 on thecoverplates is a bar 38, the other or free end of which fits and isadapted to travel in a longitudinal slot 39, provided in each of thehorizontal portions 34 of each of the cover-plates.

As shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4 of the drawings, each of the bars 38 isprovided near its free end with a transverse pin 40, which will preventsaid bars passing too far through the slots 39 in the cover-plates.Secured at one of its ends to the free end of each of the bars 38 is anelastic or extensible retaining wire or cord 41, which pass over roundedbearings 42, secured on the outer surfaces of the portions 34 of thecover-plates and through openings therein and have their other endsattached to the opposite portion 34 of each of said plates. These Wiresor cords are employed to retain the loose leaves or sheets in position,which leaves or sheets are preferably provided with slitted eyelets, sothat the wires may be passed through the slits into the eyelets of thesheets.

From the foregoing and by reference to the drawings, it will be readilyunderstood and clearly seen that when the parts are in their contractedor folded positions, as shown in Fig. 2, the binder will be capable ofreceiving and retaining quite a number of sheets or leaves, which may beplaced in engagement with the wires or cords 41, as above mentioned; butif it be desired to expand or enlarge the binder so as to accommodate agreater number of sheets it is evident that by fitting a key 17 on oneend of the shaft 15 and turning said shaft in the proper direction thenuts 22 and 23 Will be caused to approach each other and through theirconnections with the cover-plates and auxiliary plates force the sameapart. As the cover-plates, auxiliary plates, and back-plate are intelescopic engagement with each other longitudinally as well as at theirends, it is obvious that a strong and positively-acting binder is afforded. p

In the operation of expanding or contracting the parts of the binder itwill be understood that the bars 38 will be moved on their pivots byreason of their coaction with the portions 34 of the cover-plates, sothat the retaining-wires 41 for the leaves will always be held taut.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination with the back, of anauxiliary plate and a cover-plate in telescopic engagement with oneanother, a shaft rotatably mounted on the back and having right and lefthanded screw-threads, nuts engaging said screwthreads, and linksconnecting the nuts with said plates.

2. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination with a back havingright-angled extensions at its ends and provided with a way, a channeledauxiliary plate having channeled right angled extensions at its ends andlocated in the way or channel of the back, a cover-plate having at itsends right-angled extensions and located in the channel of the auxiliaryplate, a shaft rotatably mounted on the back and having right and lefthanded screwthreads, nuts engaging said screw-threads, and linksconnecting the nuts with said plates.

3. A loose-leaf binder comprising a back, auxiliary plates andcover-plates in telescopic engagement with one another, a shaft mountedto turn on the back and having right and left hand screw-threads, nutsengaging said screw-threads, and links connecting the nuts with theauxiliary plates and cover-plates.

4. A loose-leaf binder comprising a channeled back having channeledextensions at its ends, channeled auxiliary plates having channeledextensions at their ends and located in the channels of the back,coverplates having extensions at their ends and located in the channelsof the auxiliary plates, a shaft rotatably mounted on the back andhaving right and left hand screw-threads, nuts engaging saidscrew-threads, and links connecting the nuts with the auxiliary platesand cover-plates.

5. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination with the back of an auxiliaryplate and a cover-plate in telescopic engagement with one another, saidcover-plate having an inwardly-projecting portion provided with alongitudinal slot, a bar pivoted at one of its ends and having its otherend projecting into said slot and provided with a check-pin to restrictits movement, a flexible and extensible retainer for the leavesconnected at one of its ends to the free end of said bar and suitablysecured at its other end, a shaft rotatably mounted on the back andhaving right and left handed screw-threads, nuts engaging saidscrew-threads, and links connecting the nuts With said plates.

6. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination With the back, of auxiliaryplates and coverplates in telescopic engagement with one another, a barvpivotally connected at one of its ends to each of the cover-plates andhaving its other end extended toward the 0pposite cover-plate, afiexible'and extensible retainer for the leaves secured at one of itsends to the free end of each of said bars and at its other end to thecover-plate opposite the free end of said bar, a shaft rotatably mountedon the back and having right and left handed screw-threads, nutsengaging said screw-threads, and links connecting the nuts With saidplates.

ARTHUR OPALLA. Witnesses:

CHAS. C. TILLMAN, M. A. NYMAN.

